(Tampa, Florida) — Aaron Speer is a poker champion following a win in Event 1 of the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Winter Poker Open. The victory came following a four-way chop and earned Speer, a Tampa native that now lives in Orlando, $62,008 as well as a $1,650 Main Event seat and the token guitar trophy.

A 37-year-old roofer, Speer masterfully maneuvered through a big, 867-entry field in the $570 buy-in event. The field easily surpassed the $300,000 guarantee with a final prize pool of $433,500. After six starting flights and 14 levels of Day 1 play, the competition was narrowed to only 158 by Day 2. Just the top 87 were set to score a payday and defending champion Gil Aboodi as well as Tampa standout John Dolan and Wally Maddah were among those to bust shy of a score.

Speer began the day with a good stack and stayed toward the top of the counts as the field narrowed around him. By the time play dwindled to the 10-handed final table, though, all eyes were Tony Tran. Tran went on a heater busting a number of the final table participants before Speer tamed his hot run.

On Speer’s most crucial hand, he held versus Tran’s . There was three-way action and the flop fell . It wasn’t until the turn that Speer and Tran got Speer’s last 2,670,000 in the middle and Tran saw the bad news — he flopped the bottom end while Speer had the top. The hand gave Speer 6,940,000 chips and proved pivotal in catapulting him into the winner’s circle a short time later.

Ultimately, Speer was chip leader at the time a chop was decided. As such, he went down as the champion and gave up an unknown amount of money to the other participants — Tran, William Kopp and Alex Ribeiro — due to the $1,650 Main Event seat reserved for first.

Speer has modest tournament results with each of his previous four reported cashes coming right here at the Seminole Hard Rock and totaling just over $4,700. The win and $62,008 score in Event 1 marks far and away his most notable poker accomplishment.

As they returned from break, the players worked out a modified ICM chop deal. Aaron Speer was the chip leader and went down as the champion. As such, he earned the title, a guitar trophy and a $1,650 Main Event seat.

1st: Aaron Speer2nd: Tony Tran3rd: William Kopp4th: Alex Ribeiro

Tony TranWilliam KoppAlex Ribeiro

A more detailed report with the exact payout amounts will be posted shortly.

Carlos Guerrero was in a heads-up pot versus William Kopp. Kopp was out of position in the big blind while Guerrero occupied the button. The board was dealt through the turn — . Guerrero got his last roughly 1,150,000 in the middle and was at risk against Kopp.

Guerrero: for the nut flushKopp: for tens-up

River:

Kopp did the unthinkable filling up on the river and leaving Guerrero’s flopped flush second best. Guerrero hit the rail fifth while Kopp stacked a pile of chip.

Aaron Speer was under the gun and opened to 225,000. Alex Ribeiro called from the button and so did Tony Tran from the big blind.

The trio saw a flop of . Tran checked and Speer bet 225,000. Ribeiro called from the button and Tran came along, too.

Still a trio, the turn fell the . Tran checked again. Speer bet 500,000. Ribeiro called. It was back on Tran who calmly announced, “One point seven,” for a raise to 1,700,000. Speer shoved for 2,670,000 and Ribeiro promptly folded. Tran alluded to a sick beat and called turning over for a flopped straight. Sure enough, Speer had the other end of it turning over for Broadway.

River:

Tran took the beat in stride cutting out double-up chips and sending them Speer’s way.

Start-of-day chip leader Joseph Orsino just became the most recent casualty of Tony Tran. Orsino hit the rail seventh earning $13,258 while Tran piled on some more chips. He now holds 9,900,000 of the 26,010,000 chips in play.

Joseph Skarzynski shoved all-in under then gun. It folded to Abdel Bouanani in the cutoff and he shoved for less. The button and small blind let it go while Tony Tran called from the big. Tran had both players covered and was in great shape to send a pair home.

Tran: Bouanani: Skarzynski:

Tran held on the runout and Skarzynski busted eighth while Bouanani bowed out ninth.

Michael McCarthy just hit the rail in 11th leaving the $570 Winter Poker Open event down to the final 10. They’re in the midst of a redraw and when it’s complete we’ll provide the updated final table seating assignments and chip counts.

Tony Tran opened to 70,000 from late position. It moved to Anthony Dianaty in the small blind and he jammed for 435,000 total. The big blind folded sending it back to Tran. He called and Dianaty was at risk.

Dianaty: Tran:

Runout:

Tran flopped better, but Dianaty retook the lead on the ace turn. His pair was best and he doubles through Tran.

With 2,835,000 chips, William Kopp leads the way as only 24 remain in the Winter Poker Open $570. Others still in include Tony Tran, Aaron Speer, Anthony Dianaty, Bob Gallo, Carlos Loving, Karl Manouchakian, Joseph Skarzynski and Joseph Orsino.

Tony Tran opened from middle position to 55,000. It folded to Sara Hall in the cutoff and she moved all-in for 463,000. Next to act was Corey Lipke in the small blind and he shoved for just less than that. It was back on Tran and he called having both players at risk.

Hall: Tran: Lipke:

Runout:

Tran spiked a set of sixes to come from behind and eliminate both players. Lipke was out 30th while Hall did one better in 29th. Tran, meanwhile, grew his stack to over 2,000,000 and took the chip lead.

Roberto Sanchez Silva opened under the gun for 50,000 and Witold Wasik, last year’s Main Event runner-up, shoved for less — 48,000 — from a couple to his left. It folded to Kharlin Sued in the big blind and he called. With 4,000 in a side pot, Sued and Sanchez Silva saw a flop.

Flop: – Sued checked and Sanchez Silva jammed for 228,000. Sue called and all three hands were up.

Sanchez Silva: for top pairSued: for a pair of sixesWasik: for ace-king high

Runout:

Sanchez Silva’s pair held and he more than doubled as Wasik hit the rail 34th.